Upcoming Visits

Regulars & Visitors

Humuhumu’s description

Last Rites is a "Polynesian Noir" bar that opened in San Francisco's Duboce Triangle/Castro area in June 2018. The bar goes deep on story: the setting is the fuselage of a crashed plane deep in a jungle, with drinks served in "scavenged" bottles cut into glasses. Beyond the plane are vine-encrusted stone ruins, decorated with huge stylized skulls. The team behind Last Rites, owners Justin Lew and Ian Scalzo, have been active in the San Francisco craft cocktail scene for many years, and they have enlisted bar & restaurant designer James Lagoc and fabricator Brian Sullivan to shape the space. Drinks are a departure from classic tiki, while retaining the experimental use of flavors.

Mrs. Mai Tai and I enjoyed our visit to Last Rites, a “Polynesian Noir” bar in San Francisco. This is "Indiana Jones meets Tiki" and the environment is as immersive as a Disneyland attraction. The theme of the bar is as if a plane crashed into the jungle and the bar opened to serve the survivors and natives. Plane fuselage. Gigantic stone skulls. Faux tropical jungle plants. All set to a torchlight. It’s really cool.

The vibe on a Wednesday evening was fun but very chill. Lots of couples and groups enjoying the atmosphere, which included some peppy pop/rock set to low volume. Service here was great, with both the waitresses and bartenders offering to help with menus, ordering and reordering drinks, and more. We wanted the souvenir glass and our waitress could not have been more helpful. The menu continues the theme and has a handwritten feel combined with an airplane manifest. The bottom of the menu is “burned” and there are blood stains too.

As for the drinks, there are a number of tiki classics as well as some Last Rites originals. I had the Mai Tai, which featured Agricole and Jamaican rums along with Cashew Orgeat. It was not really anything special. But things turned for the better with an incredible Jet Pilot that featured the overproof float delivered inside a floating bottle. This one was really balanced and tasty. We also tried the signature drink, the Last Rites. This wonderful cocktail lived up to the hype, including Mount Gay Black Barrel, white rum, overproof rum, lime, passionfruit syrup, backstop molasses syrup, and “Last Rites Mix”. Served with a smoldering garnish as if it just came out from the plane crash.

This isn’t a typical tiki bar, but I am a “big tent” guy so for me this is well within the expected parameters. For sure in the family tree of Don the Beachcomber's original tiki bar.

Wife and I went on Friday, June 29, 2018. Arrived before opening, smart move as it filled up fast. Decor is well done. The airplane fuselage backbar and airline seats were a nice touch. Drinks were well done and staff was competent and attentive. Stayed for about two hours and had a good time.

Well done theme bar? Yes. Tiki bar? Wife and I say no. First, other than some skulls, there is nothing identifiably tiki in the place. Second, while the drinks were very good, the menu is not based upon tiki drinks. A solid Mai Tai and Jet Pilot do not a tiki bar make! Third, the place simply doesn't feel like a tiki bar. No tiki music or tiki aficionados to be seen.

Went last night - super pleasant "plane crashed on a tropical island" atmosphere with great drinks. The menu is elaborate and filled up with house cocktails and classics. Bought the pint-glass style branded glassware for $10.

I got to go on opening night. From the outside you wouldn't know it was there. Inside, another world. The back bar is part of an airplane with airplane seats as bar stools. There are 2 seating areas in the back that each have their own skulls. Towards the front are booths.

We had the Last Rites and their version of the mai tai, both were very good. You can buy the glass the Last Rites comes in for $10. I read there will be no tiki mugs which makes sense since there are no tikis in the bar. So is it a tiki bar? I read they said they are going for "Polynesian Noir". The staff was very nice and I look forward to going back and trying some other drinks.

I got to go on opening night. From the outside you wouldn't know it was there. Inside, another world. The back bar is part of an airplane with airplane seats as bar stools. There are 2 seating areas in the back that each have their own skulls. Towards the front are booths.

We had the Last Rites and their version of the mai tai, both were very good. You can buy the glass the Last Rites comes in for $10. I read there will be no tiki mugs which makes sense since there are no tikis in the bar. So is it a tiki bar? I read they said they are going for "Polynesian Noir". The staff was very nice and I look forward to going back and trying some other drinks.